Machine for cutting flanged beams



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

4 4 M p 4 4 w 5 0 i.. R. G Il IW!! z O -.-U w w ma@ I- --,...H... .M fl@ -Mw/ Patented Jan. l, 1889.

(No Model.)

J. KENNEDY.

MACHINE EOE CUTTING ELANGED BEAMS.

WITNESSES.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheen` 2.

J. KENNEDY.

MACHINE POR CUTTING FLANGED BBAMS. No. 395,569. Patented Jan. l, 1889.

Jffa wg... fm M@ (No Mode.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J.KBNNEDY MACHINE POR CUTTING FLANGED BEAMS. N0.-395,569. Patented Jan. 1, 18819.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.,

J. KENNEDY.

MACHINE EOE CUTTING ELANGED BEAMS.

Patented Jan. l, 1889.

IN V E N TO R.

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ilvrTnn STaTns lllaTnNT @Trient JULIAN KENNEDY, OF LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAGHINE FOR CUTTING FLANGED BEANS.

SIPEGIFICATION forming part of `Letters `Patent No. 395,569, dated January 1, 1889.

Application filed October 29, 1888. Serial No. 289,406. (Np model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, JULIAN KENNEDY, of Latrobe, in the county of lltlestmoreland and State o' Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Machines for Cutting Flanged Beams 5 andi do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. f3 an enlarged front elevation of the plunger and moving cutters. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line a: of Fig. Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-section on the line y y of Fig. 3, the position ot the bed-knives being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. G is an enlarged front elevation of the knife-holders for the bedknives. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an end view of one of the knife-holders of the bed-knives. Fig. 9 is an edge view showing the flange of an l'.beam which has been cut in my improved machine, Fig. '10 is a view showing such an I-beam iitted into place against the web and Iianges of a second beam.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts in each.

The object oi' my invention is to provide a machine for cutting the ends of I-beams, soA

that they may be iittcd against the sides of other I-beams when used in the 'formation of structural framework and :for similar purposes. The shape of the I-beam when thus out is shown in Figs. O and 10. In these iigures 2 represents in cross-section an I-beam, against the side of which it is desired to iit a second I-beain, of the same size and shape. For this purpose it is necessary to cut away the ilanges of the beam 3 for a short distance from the en d, so as to leave a proj ectingportion of the web 'which shall fit against the side of the web of the beam 2, while the uncut portions at the ends of the ii anges of t-he beam 3 iit against the lateral edges oi the flanges of the beam ln order to accommodate for the slight inclination oil the inner sides of the flanges of the beam 2, it is necessary to bevel the lateral edges of the web of the cut portion of the beam 3. The shape into which the beam 3 is reduced by cutting the iianges is sents the rotary main shaft of the machine.

5 is an eccentric which is fixed thereto and is provided with an inelosing-box, G, which 1s arranged in an opening in a plunger 7. This plunger is set in upright guideways 8 in' the frame of the machine, and is reciprocated vertically between said guides by the action of the eccentric and its box. tionof the guides 8 and of the frame of 'the machine and the bolts by which it is held' together is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and Q, and needs no detailed description. The plunger 7 is counterweighted in t-he usual manner by a counter-weight lever, 9, which has its fulerum between standards 10 at the top of the machine, and is provided at its front end with links 11,which are connected with the plunger. At the lower end of the plunger 7 are fixed vthe moving knives. These are preferably four in number, two knives for cutting the iianges of the beam and two for cutting the web. They are arranged in pairs at the sides of the plunger, on each side being a web-knife and a flange-knife.

1 2 and 13 are the flange-knives, each of which is made with two cutting-edges substantially at right angles to each other. These knives are set at the outer sides of the plunger. and are secured thereto by suitztble bolts. 'In front of and at the inner sides of the flange knives are the web-knives let and 15. The cutting-edges ofthese knives are inclined to the section-plane of Fig. 4, so as to give the necessary-bevel to the edges of the end of the web of the beam. They are placed in recesses in the plunger by means of a cap-plate, 29, which is 'fixed to the plunger by bolts.

The bed-knives are set in holders which are' fixed to the bed-piecle 16 of the machine.

\ The construc- IOO These knives and their holders are clearly illustrated on the fourth sheet of the drawings.

17 and 18 are the holders, which are set opposite to each other in recesses in the bedpiece, as shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 7, being bolted thereto by vertical bolts which pass through flanges b, and by horizontal bolts c. At the inner sides of the holders at thc rear thereof are L-shaped recesses, in which the bed-knives 19 and 2O are set and fixed by bolts 21. These knives are -shaped, and each has three cutting-edges-viz., cuttingedges d d at right angles to each other, so as to conform to the cutting-edges of the knives 12 and 13, and a cutting-edge, c, Figs. '7 and 8, at the inner side of and in front of the cuttingedge cl, which conforms to the cutting-edge ofthe Web-knives 14 and 15, being' beveled correspondingly therewith.

The operation of the machine in cutting the I-beams is as follows: In order to cut the flanges of the beam, the I-beam 3 is fed in cdgewise, from the front of the machine, as shown jat the left side of Fig. 1, so that the flange to be cut shall rest on the knife-holder 17, with that portion of the flange (at one side offthe web) intended to be cut directly over the-cutting-edges d d. To permit the insertion of the beam in this way, the face of the .pli1'nger7 is recessed, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and', and to determine the proper distance of feed `of the I-beam into the machine l provide adjustable stop-bolts 28, set on the face of. the plunger at the back of the recesses. These bolts are properly adjusted and the beam is fed in until its end strikes against the bolt. The flange-cutting knives and wing portions of the plunger project laterally from the inner sides of the recesses, so that while the recessed plunger shall in. its motions clear the upper flange of the-beam the knife shall work between the upper and lower flanges, so that it may eut close up to the web. The body of the plunger extends down nearly to thelevel of the knives, being recessed for this purpose, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and at the outer sides of these recesses there are vertical llanges 32, Fig. 5, which work in the slideways S of the machine. In these slideways are vertical brasses 33, which are adjustable by set-bolts This construction of the plunger impartsgreat strength and rigidity to .the machine and enables it toperform its workV with uniformity and without liability of getting out of order.

Then the beam has been placed in proper position, it is clamped against the side of the plunger by means of a screw, 22, which werks in a transverse screw-hole in the side of the machine, the head 223 of the screw being for this purpose swiveled and adapted to bear against the web 0f the beam. The function of thisA screw is to hold the beam firmly in place during the cutting process. If, now, the mainshaftof the machine be rotated, so as to depress the plunger 7, the knife 12, acting in conjunction with the blades d and d', cuts out from .flange of the beam, which I have marked f, a rectangular piece bounded at one side by the web and at the other side extending to the outside edges of the llange at the end and side of the beam. The screw 22 is then loosened,so as to release the I-beam, and the latter is lifted from the knife-holder 17 and reversed so as to bring the flange f into the same position as shown in Fig. 1, and just, described. The next descent of the plunger then cuts out this flange in the same way. To eut the other two flanges, f2 and f3, the I-beam is transferred to the other side of the machine, and after being placed on the bedknife holder 18 is held in place over the blades l d of the knife 2O by the screw 22. The flange f2 is thus cut off at the end by the knife 1S, and by reversing the beam the flange f3 may be cut in like manner. der now to cut the web of the beam with beveled cuts, as described in the first part of the specification, the beam is turned over on its side and placed with the web resting on either of the holders 17 or 1S, with the projecting part of the web from which the flanges have been cut .resting on the knife 19 or 20, with the edge directly over the blade e, Fig. 7. The beam is adjusted and held in proper position by means of a set-screw, 30, there being one such set-screw at each side of the machine. The end of this set-screw bears against the outer flange of the beam and forces the inner flange against the side of an upright block or stop, 35, at the middle of the machine, thus clamping the beam tightly in place. Then the beam has been thus adjusted, the descent of the knife 15 cuts the projecting end of the web with an inclined or beveled cut-sueh as is shown in Fig. 10-at the end of the I-beam 3. In order to hold the beam in position during this cut-ting operation, I employ a swinging post, 24, pivotally mounted at its upper end on a short eccentric-shaft, 25, which is journaled in the coverplate 27 of the machine. The post is thus adapted to swing from a horizontal to a vertical position, so that its lower end shall rest on the web of the I-beam. "W hen the post is thus placed, it is caused to bear with pressure upon the I-beam web by moving down a lever 26, which is fixed to the eccentric-shaft 25. l prefer to have a post, 24, and lever 26 at each side of the machine, as shown vin Fig. 1, one set for each pair of knives. ln this ligure I show one of the posts in a horizontal position and the other post in a vertical position in the act of clamping the I-beam.

In order now to cut the web at the other side of the I-beam, the beam is either upturned from the position last described and the opposite side of the web laid upon the knife 20, or it is preferably shifted laterally to the knife 19 at the other side ofY the niachine without upturning. The I-bcam is then clamped to position by the screw 30 and post 2.4, and the next descent of the plunger cuts In or- IOO IIO

the web'ill-ihe n'lanner last described. lVhen these four outs have been made, the end of the I-beam is in proper sllapeto be iitted against the side of another beam. In order to properly cut the four flanges of the beam, two sets oi :flange-knives should be employed; but for the purpose of cutting the web on both edges only elle set of web-knives need be used. It is more convenient, however, to employ two seis et kllives, as shown ill the drawings.

The machine nlaybe used lfor enti-in g beams of any size within certain limits. Obviously the construction of the llange-knives is such as to eut the 'flanges el any bealn without special adjustment, because ille web of the beam is held by the screws 2; or 22 against the side of the moving knife and the laterally-projeeting wing of the plunger, irrespective of the dimellsions of the bealll. In eutting the web, however, adjustnnnlt is necessary when, the beams Avary in thickness ol flange, for the position of the beam on the machine is determined by the stop bleek or post and if the position. of the stop-block be constant a beam witll a thin vflange would be differently situated relatively to the webknife from a beam havillg a thick flallge. To compensate for tllis I adjust the position of the stop preferably by usinga number of eappieces or lillers, 36,0{1' different thickness of sides. In workillg the maeh ine I place on the bleek a cap-piece or liner of sufficient tllickness of side to held the beam -up to the webkllife in propel: position. The knife-holders i7 l S, which serve as anvils for the beam, are nlade su llieien tly narrow to perlni t beams havingwebs of differentwidth to be pla-ced tllereon. It is this property olil adaptability of the lllaehine to varying work which l'orllls one of' the distinguishing li'ealures of ille machine.

The Alnaehine may also be elllployed for eiltting the ends of T -iron channel -bals and otller sorts of flanged beams. The advantages of the machine will be apparent to those skilled in the ari'. Itis strongin its construetion, performs the work of cutting theI-bean'l rapidly and with great accuracy, and is a means of saving eonsiderable time alld labor.

l do not limit myself strictly to the eensi rnction and arrangement of the parts wllieh I have herein shown and described, sinee they maybe modified by the skilled meehanie; but

VWhat I elailn isl. In a machine for cutting the flanges of flanged beams, a plunger or knife-head having oppositely-direeted. right alld left knives for separately Guti-in g the right and left Vflanges ol the beanl, sullstantially as and for the pnl'- poses described. A

In a machine for cutting the flanges of flanged beams, a plunger or knife-head having knives on opposite sides thereof for separately cutting the right and left iianges of the beam, ill eonll'linatien with bed-knives adapted to aet in eonjulletiou therewith, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2l. In a machille for cutting the ends of :flanged beams, a moving knife and a bedkniic, eaeh of angular shape, having a blade which ents the ,flange of the beam tral'lsversely, and a blade which ents the flange longitudinally ill proximity to the web, substantially as and for the purposes described.

l. In a lnaclline for cutting the flanges of flanged beams, a plunger having a laterallyprojecting knife, and adjusting meehanisnl by wlliell the web of the beam isheld against the side of the knife, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In a machine for cutting the flallges of flanged beams, a plunger having a laterallyprojeeting knife, and adjusting mechanism by wlliell the web of the bean'l held against the side ol' the knife, said plunger being recessed to permitinsertlon of the beam beneath the knife within the limits of the plunger, substantially as and 'for the purposes described.

6. InV a machine for uiting the ends of flanged beallls, a j llunger or knife-head having a knife on eaell side thereof :forseparately cutting the right and left flanges of the beam, ill Combination with one or more knives on the plunger adapted to eut the web, and a supportillg bleek or anvil adapted te support the beam vertically during euttillg of the flanges and to support the same horizontally during the eutting of tllo web, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. In a "machine for cutting the ends of flanged beams, the combi n ation of a bed-knife having cutting-edges d d ,formed at an angle to eaeh other, alld an outer cutting-edge, e, and moving-knives set on a single plunger,

TOO

one of' which knives acts in conjunction with with the bed-knives, substantially as and forl the purposes deseribed.

9. In a maehine :for eulting ille ends of flanged beams, the eolllbinatien of a supporting-anvil adapted to receive the web of the beam and nlade ef narrow surface, so as to be capable of reeeiv ill g beams of different widths, knives for cutting the said web, and a step adjaeent lie ille supporting-anvil, against which f the lateral edge of the Vbeam abuts, substantially as and for the purposes described.

l0. In a machine for cutting the ends of flanged beams, the eonlbination of a supporting-anvil adapted to receive the web of the beam and made of narrow surface, so as to be capable of receiving beams of different widths,

knives for cutting the said web, a stop adja- IIO cent to the supporting-anVil, against which the lateral edge of. the beam abuts, and an ad justing-serew by 'Wh ich the beam is held against the stop, substantially as and for the purposes described.

11. In a machine For cutting the ends ol' flanged beams, the combination of a supporting-'anvil adapted to receive the web of the beam and made oi' narrow surface, so as to be capable of receiving beams oi. different widths, knives for cutting the said web, a stop ad jacent to the supporting-anvil, against which the lateral edge of the beam abuis, and adj listing mecl'lanismwsuch as liners-b y Which the distance between the stop and the anvil vis variable, substantially as and for the purposes described.

12. In a machine for cutting the ends of flanged beams, the combination, with a supporting block or anvil for receiving the web of the beam, of knives for cutting the Web, and a clamping-post which bears upon the web, substantially as and for the purposes described.

13. In a machine for cutting the flanges of flanged beams, a plunger or knife-head having on each side thereof a laterally-projecting portion, and a knife for separately cutting the right and `left anges of the beam, said laterally-proj ecting portions fitting in suitable slideways and extending to or .nearly to the bases of the knives, substantially as and for and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of lOctober, A. D. 1888.

JULIAN KENNEDY.

lVitnesses:

'W. B. CoRwIN,

H. L. GILL. 

